On Tuesday, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was officially appointed as the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, which is the lower house of India’s Parliament. This announcement was made by KC Venugopal, a member of the Congress party who spoke to the media.
The decision came after Sonia Gandhi, who leads the Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP), wrote a letter to Bhartruhari Mahtab, who currently serves as the Pro-tem speaker. In her letter, Sonia Gandhi informed him about Rahul Gandhi taking on the role of Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha.
This move follows a resolution passed on June 9 by the Congress Working Committee (CWC), the top decision-making body of the party. The resolution confirmed Rahul Gandhi’s appointment to this important position. After the CWC meeting, Rahul mentioned that he needed some time to think before making his final decision about accepting this responsibility.
Rahul Gandhi Named Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha
Rahul Gandhi, a Member of Parliament from the Congress party, has been selected as the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha. This decision was announced by KC Venugopal, who is a general secretary of the party, after a meeting with leaders from other opposition parties.
The appointment was confirmed through a letter from Sonia Gandhi, who heads the Congress Parliamentary Party, to Bhartruhari Mahtab, the pro-tem Speaker.
Venugopal also mentioned that other positions within the opposition will be decided later. The decision to appoint Rahul Gandhi was made during a meeting held at the residence of Mallikarjun Kharge, who is the Congress president, in New Delhi. Last week, Rahul Gandhi had hinted at this development when he mentioned discussions with Kharge about his role as Leader of the Opposition.
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Congress Regains Leader of Opposition Role After 2024
The Congress party has regained the position of Leader of Opposition after winning more seats in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. They now have 99 seats, which is almost twice the number they had in 2019 (52 seats) and more than what they won in 2014 (44 seats).
In the previous elections of 2014 and 2019, Congress was the second-largest party in Parliament after the BJP. However, they couldn’t claim the Leader of Opposition title because they had fewer than 10% of the total seats in the Lower House.
Recently, Rahul Gandhi took his oath as a Member of Parliament in Lok Sabha. Holding up a copy of the Constitution, he said “Jai Hind, Jai Samvidhan” after completing the oath.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q.1. Who appointed Rahul Gandhi as Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha?
Ans. Rahul was appointed as Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha by the Congress party following a resolution passed by the Congress Working Committee (CWC).
Q.2. When was Rahul Gandhi officially appointed as Leader of Opposition?
Ans. Rahul was officially appointed as Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday, as confirmed by KC Venugopal, a senior member of the Congress party.
Q.3. What role did Sonia Gandhi play in Rahul Gandhi’s appointment?
Ans. Sonia Gandhi, who heads the Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP), wrote a letter to the Pro-tem Speaker, Bhartruhari Mahtab, informing him about Rahul taking on the role of Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha.
Q.4. What was the process behind Rahul Gandhi’s appointment?
Ans. The appointment followed a resolution passed by the Congress Working Committee (CWC) on June 9, confirming Rahul Gandhi’s selection as Leader of Opposition. He had earlier mentioned needing time to consider accepting the role.
Q.5. Why is Rahul Gandhi’s appointment significant?
Ans. Rahul Gandhi’s appointment as Leader of Opposition is significant as it underscores Congress’s role in parliamentary opposition, particularly after the party’s increased seat tally in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
